Treatment of textile fabrics and the products thereof



Patented Jan. 31 1939 TREATMENT OF TEXTILE FABRICS AND THE PRODUCTS THEREOF Camille Dreyfus, New York, N. Y.

No Drawing. Application April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134,901

4 Claims. (o1. 13-129) This invention relates to the treatment of fabetc. The treatment of fabrics in accordance with rics containing fibers of an organic derivative of this invention obviates these detrimental effects. cellulose and relates more particularly to the .The treatment of fabrics, made from or con- 7 treatment of such fabrics with a modifying agent taining yarns composed of animal fibers and in order to impart to the fabrics a fuller, more fibers or .filaments of an organic derivative of lofty and resilient hand. cellulose, tends to produce a heavier animal fibe'r An object of the invention is the economical cover on the surface than the fabric had prior to and expeditious method of treating a fabric, contreatment. This lends to the fabric a touch more taining at least some yarns formed of a mixture nearly that of a fabric made wholly of animal of fibers of organic derivatives of cellulose and fibers. l0 animal fibers, to impart to the fabric a resilient, In accordance with my invention, I treat fabfull and voluminous hand. Another object of the rics made of animal fibers and organic derivative invention is the treatment of fabrics, containing 0f cellulose-fibers filaments W a m y n both animal fibers and fibers of an organic deriva ent c mpr sin an a u a a i m tal r ative of cellulose, to impart a desired hand thereto alkaline earth metal salt of thiocyanic acid in an 15 without reducing the strength or other properties aqueous Solution emulSiOh- The time Of treatof the animal fibers. Other objects'of the inven-' ment, temperature of treatment and the eeheention will appear from the following detailed tr of e thiooyanats t forth below e description. critical 'as more strenuous treatments tend to It is known that fabrics containing a mixture of we the fabric, While less strenuous treatanimal fibers and artificial fibers or filaments con- .mentS, although h y o injure the ab c. d0 taining organic derivatives are made by a variety not p e sufl t mp v t in th ha d of processes. These fabrics, however, although of the fabric to be classed commercially beneficial. they may have the desired appearance and The modifying agent may a besides e strength often do not have the desired hand or thiocyanato d wat y at a s su as feel. In some instances fabrics, made of yarns sllltphellated Sulphated fatty alcohols. Vegetable containing animal fibers and fibers of an organic or mineral oils. w at or l. t t at iv a derivative of cellulose, which are intended to comresilient feeling to the febrifi pete commercially with fabrics of all-animal The fabric to be treated y y invention y fibers, have a rag-like or boardy h nd, whereas be any suitable woven, knitted, netted or knotted the fabric of all-animal fibers of the same struofabfle- This fabric contains a l a m ya s ture has a resilient feel and is lofty in hand.- By formed from a mixture of fibersef Organic vtreating, in accordance with this invention, a atives of cellulose and other fibers. Any suitable fabric which has a rag-like hand cnmprising organic derivative of cellulose, such as the organic fibers or filaments of organic derivatives of celluesters of cellulose and the cellulose t e s, may be lose and animal fibers, the treated fabric is in all p y for forming a P Of the s. EX- respects similar to the fabric f th Same amples of the organic esters of cellulose are cellustruction formed entirely of an1m 1flb lose acetate, cellulose formate, cellulose propio- A further advantage of treating fabri i nate and cellulose butyrate, while examples of the cordance with this invention is that the fabrics so Cellulose ethers are ethyl eelulOSe, methyl eellu- 40 treated have the property of a non-slipping fablose and b y eelhlleseric, that is, the warp and weft appear to b 'While the best results are obtained bythe treatanchored to each other, and even in fairly open ment of fabrics which consist Wholly 0f ya s fabric or loosely woven fabric the tendency of the Containing fibers r ni erivatives of celluweft to slip on the ,warp is greatly reduced, lose and animal fibers, hovel efieets y be ob- The modifying agents usually applied t fabtained by the treatment of fabrics that contain, rics, made of or containing both organic derivab such yarns. other ype o yarns such as tive of cellulose and animal fibers, to modify the those formed from continuous filaments of or hand of the same often have a detrimental efiect genie derivatives of cellulose or yarns formed on one or the other of the fibers. Some modifyfrom Silk, reconstituted regenerated cellulose, ing agents destroy or at leastdeaden the resiliency animal fibers mixtures of theseb ics may or life of the animal fibers, while others make a so b formed y interweaving 0 t ing yarns the animal fibers brittle and still others change containing organic derivatives of cellulose fibers the dye amnity of the organic derivative of celluwith yarns formed entirely of animal fibers with lose or reduce its strength, elongation properties, or without other types of yarns being present.

The artificial fibers'containing organic derivatives of cellulose employed in forming at least some of the yarns in the fabric may be made by any suitable method, for example, by extruding an organic ester of cellulose dissolved in a volatile solvent through suitable orifices into a solidifying medium, thus forming substantially continuous filaments. A plurality of these filaments as they are formed, or from a plurality of preformed packages, may be grouped together in the form of a rope or they may be formed into a hand, then cut or torn to staple lengths. Either the continuous filaments before reduction to staple fiber or the staple fibers may be treated by applying .cause the fibers to curl.

thereto effect materials, lubricants, or other finishes and they may or may not be embossed to form crimps therein or treated in baths which Fibers from 1 to 12 or more inches in length may be employed to form the yarns. These artificial fibers may be mixed with wool, alpaca, camel hair or other animal fibers and processed into threads or yarns by the woolen method, the cotton method, the Waste silk method or other suitable methods.

The yarns may be formed of a mixture of from 50 to 5 parts of organic derivative of cellulose fibers and from 5 to 50 parts of animal fibers. The yarns may also contain other fibers and filaments such as cotton, regenerated cellulose, etc. For forming fabrics suitable for mens wear which have the appearance and hand of all-wool worsted fabrics, it is preferable to form the yarn from about parts of cellulose acetate fibers and about 30 parts of wool fibers. For other types of fabrics other percentages may be more desirable.

The modifying agent with which the fabrics are to be treated preferably is an aqueous solution of an ammonia, an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal salt of thiocyanic acid of from 6 to 10 B. The term alkali salt of thiocyanic acid used in the claims includes any such salts. Mixtures of such salts may also be employed. When treating fabrics so constructed that they rely upon the properties of animal fibers for hand or appearance, the concentration of the thiocyanic acid salt in the modifying agent is preferably below 10 B. and the period and temperature of treatment are such that there is no tendency for the modifying agent to extract the oil from the animal fibers or otherwise modify the animal fibers to render the same more brittle.

Any suitable fabric as described, above may be treated with the modifying agent by submerging the fabric in a bath of the modifying agent, which bath is maintained at a temperature between 10 and 13 0., depending upon the duration of the treatment and upon the concentration of the salt of thiocyanic acid in the bath. When treating fabrics containing '70 parts cellulose acetate and about 30 parts of wool dispersed in each other and formed into yarns a temperature of from 11 to 12 C. is preferred.

covered with an absorbent material such as linen or cotton fabric, the rolls being at room temperature' or at elevated temperatures. Or the fabric,

after removal from the bath containing the modifying agent, may be immediately immersed in one or more rinsing baths to remove the modifying agents.

As a guide to the concentrations of modifying agents, temperatures and time of treatment which may be employed in accordance with this invention, the following table is given-the fabric being treated consisting of about 70 parts cellulose acetate fibers and about 30 parts animal fibers, while the modifying agent is ammonium thiocyanatez.

6 /z-7 /2" B. at 13-11" C. for 4 to 6 minutes 9-9 B. at 11-10 C. for 4 to 6 minutes To further illustrate the invention, the following examples are given:

Example I A fabric consisting of yarns made of about 70 parts cellulose acetate fibers and about 30 parts animal fibers are treated for 5 minutes at 12 C. in a bath containing ammonium thiocyanate of 7 B. The fabric, after removal from the modifying bath, is immediately rinsed to remove substantially all the modifying agent therefrom. The fabric treated had 45 ends and 40 picks when dyed, scoured and finished in the regular manner, while after dyeing, scouring and finishing and also with the treatment of this example the fabric had 4'7 ends and 43 picks. The fabric so treated has a resilient, full and voluminous hand.

Example II when regularly dyed, scoured and finished has 45' ends and 40 picks, while after treatment in accordance with this example, then dyed, scoured the thiocyanate salts in some cases have a tendency to modify colors and dyes.

It is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is given merely by way of illustration and that many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for the production of improved textile fabrics, which comprises treating a fabric, containing yarns formed from fibers some of which are composed of an organic derivative of cellulose and some of which are animal fibers, at 10 to .13 C. for 6 minutes or less with an aqueous solution of an alkali salt .of thiocyanic acid having a density of 6 to 10 B.

'2. Process for the production of improved textile fabrics, which comprises treating a fabric, containing yarns formed from fibers some of which are composed of cellulose acetate and some of which are animal fibers, at 10 to 13 C. for 6 minutes or less with an aqueous solution of an alkali salt of thiocyanic acid having a density of 6 to 10 B.

3. Process for the production of improved textile fabrics, which comprises treating a fabric. containing yarns formed from fibers some of which are composed of an organic derivative of cellulose and some of which are animal fibers, at 10 to 13 C. for i to 6 minutes with an aqueous solution of ammonium thiocyanate having a density of 6 to 10 B.

4. Process for'the production of improved teutile fabrics, which comprises treating a fabric, containing yarns formed from fibers some of which are composed of cellulose acetate and some of which are animal fibers, at 10 to 13 C. for c to 6 minutes with an aqueous solution of ammonium thiocyanate having a density of 6 to 10 Be. 

